Pierre Andre (announcer)

Pierre Andre (born Philip Litman,[1] November 25, 1899 - July 21, 1962)[2] was an announcer in the era of old-time radio.

Pierre Andre
Born
Philip Litman

November 25, 1899
Duluth, Minnesota
DiedJuly 21, 1962, age 62
Evanston, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Minnesota
OccupationRadio announcer

Early years

Born in Duluth, Minnesota, Andre was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rae Litman.[3] He won competitions in public speaking and dramatics while he was a student at the University of Minnesota. After college, he worked as an actor and a newspaperman.[1]

Radio

Andre's initial performance on radio, at WEBC in Duluth, Minnesota, resulted from his being invited to speak over the microphone at a studio party. His obituary in the Chicago Tribune reported, "His performance was so good that he immediately was engaged as an announcer."[1] He went from WEBC to KSTP in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he worked for two years. He changed his name when he began working at KSTP.[1]

Andre began working at WGN in Chicago, Illinois, on August 4, 1930, and stayed there for the rest of his career, with much of his work also being broadcast nationally via network connections.[1] He was one of the early announcers for soap operas when they began to become staples of daytime radio.[4]

His obituary noted that he "introduced the first of the remote dance band broadcasts, the Midnight Flyers program from the Blackhawk resaurant."[1] It also reported that he adapted to different types of programming as old-time radio formats disappeared, being replaced by talk shows and other genres.[1]

Programs on which Andre was heard nationally as an announcer included Little Orphan Annie (radio), The Romance of Helen Trent, Arnold Grimm's Daughter, Betty and Bob, Backstage Wife, Carters of Elms Street, Easy Aces,[4] Sky King,[5]Captain Midnight,[6]:63 How's the Family?[6]:159 and The Romance of Helen Trent.[6]

Death

Andre died of lympho-sarcoma on July 21, 1962, in Evanston, Illinois aged 62. He was survived by his wife, a son, a brother and a sister.[1]

In the 1983 film A Christmas Story, Andre is mentioned (and heard) as the announcer for Little Orphan Annie (radio).

References
  1. "Pierre Andre Dies; Pioneer Radio Star". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. July 22, 1962. p. Part 1-Page 3. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  2. Cox, Jim (2007). Radio Speakers: Narrators, News Junkies, Sports Jockeys, Tattletales, Tipsters, Toastmasters and Coffee Klatch Couples Who Verbalized the Jargon of the Aural Ether from the 1920s to the 1980s--A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6086-1. Pp. 11-12.
  3. "The Final Curtain" (PDF). Billboard. August 2, 1941. p. 28. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  4. "Pierre Andre Launches New Show Tonight". Chicago Tribune. June 18, 1955. p. 4 F. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  5. "Television-Radio Reviews: Sky King" (PDF). Billboard. September 22, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  6. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 289.
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